Live casino table games, such as Twenty-One, have been in gaming casinos for many years. One or more players are seated around a semi-circular gaming table and interact with a dealer during the conduct of the play of the game. Many players enjoy the camaraderie of engaging in gaming activity with other players such as occurs during the play of live casino table games. This is opposed to the solitary activity of playing a slot machine in which the player simply pulls the handle of the slot machine and is not able to interact with other players during the play of the slot machine.
However, many players that are new to live table gaming are intimidated by games such as Twenty-One. While the basic method of play of Twenty-One is quite well known and relatively easy, most experts would agree that a player's chances of winning at Twenty-One are improved if the player plays his hands according to generally accepted Hit/Stay procedures. Novice Twenty-One players and many even more experienced players are not always well-versed in these Hit/Stay procedures and often misplay their Twenty-One hands. Because the other players seated at the Twenty-One table can observe how each player plays his hand, it is apparent when a player makes a misplay.
Thus novice players and other players who are uncomfortable with their ability to play Twenty-One often shun this type of live table game. Rather than risk embarrassment that they might incur from misplaying their hand, they rather simply do not participate and either do not engage in gaming at all or enjoy other forms of gaming such as electronic or video games or reel slot machines. Other live table games, such as Craps, can also be intimidating to novice and less experienced players who are afraid to be observed in a multi-player setting improperly playing the game.
The basic appeal of slot machines is that there is no player skill involved. The player inserts one or more coins or gaming tokens, pulls the handle and the machine does the rest. The reels spin and the gaming symbols on the reel strips are displayed on the pay line. If a winning combination of symbols lines up on the pay line, the player wins. Thus the player of any experience level is not intimidated when playing a slot machine because his only decision is how many coins or tokens to wager and he cannot make a mistake in how the game is to be played. What is missing from slot machines, however, is the interaction with other players during the play of the game. The player has no one to share his joy of winning a payout and no one to commiserate with when the player loses.
Another drawback to conventional slot machines is that the player is limited to the amount that he can wager on any particular pull of the handle. Most slot machines are set at a fixed denomination--such as 5.cent., 25.cent., 50.cent. or $1 (and up in more upscale gaming establishments). Depending on the type of slot machine, the player can wager one or more units of denomination on any given pull of the handle. However, if the player gets on a winning streak, the player cannot increase the denomination that he is playing (such as going from 25.cent. to $1) without changing slot machines. Likewise, if the player is losing, he cannot lower the denomination that he is playing without changing slot machines (which the player may not wish to do since many slot players feel that a slot machine may be "due" for a jackpot if one has not appeared for some time).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a live table game of chance which allows the player to enjoy the camaraderie of playing with other players while at the same time being a straightforward and easily understandable game so that even the novice player is not intimidated and is less worried that he might misplay his hand.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a live table game of chance in which the player makes an initial wager and is dealt an initial hand of three cards upon which are printed the symbols conventionally found on slot machine reels. If the player receives three matching symbols or at least one or two Cherry(s) or a Joker on his first three cards, the player wins and is eligible to receive a payout. The player may collect his win and end the hand at that point or the player may forfeit his first wager, make a second wager and receive a fourth card in an attempt to improve his hand (any winning hand that had improvement is now paid in this DRAW round). If the player is dealt at least two matching symbols on his first three cards, the player loses on his first wager, but the player may make a second wager and receive a fourth card in an attempt to improve his hand. Because of the live table game format used in the present invention, a player may change the amount of his wager from hand to hand and thus increase his wager when he is winning and decrease his wager when he is losing.
It is an advantage of the present invention that any player of any skill or experience level can engage in a live table game of chance and thereby enjoy associating with other players during the play of the game without having to fear being embarrassed or intimidated because his skill level is not sufficient to avoid making mistakes during the play of the hand.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.